| What is a dental implant? |
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| A dental implant is simply a titanium metal screw
that is placed into the jaw bone. The implant serves
as an anchor for a false tooth or set of false
teeth. |
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| Is an implant right for me?
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| Implants are for anyone in reasonable health who wants to replace missing teeth. You must have an acceptable level of bone in the area of the missing teeth to provide the anchorage location of the implants. Whether you need implants for your entire mouth, a small bridge or just to replace a single tooth, we can help. |
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| What are the success rates for dental implants?
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| This depends heavily on the placement and function of the implant. The highest success rates (95%-100%) come from the placement of implants in the front portion of the lower jaw. In other areas of the mouth, success rates can vary drastically. Please inquire about the success rates for your particular situation.
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Why have
dental implants become so popular?
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| As our life span increases, the need for some type of permanent dental replacement system becomes very important to our overall health. Dentures and removable bridges have obvious problems: They are loose and unstable. Implants can provide people with dental replacements that are both functional and esthetic. The demand was always there, we just needed the tools to fulfill that demand.
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How long will I have to wait before my dental implant can be used to anchor my new teeth?
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| The original school of thought states that one must wait three to six months before a new dental prosthesis can be constructed that will be supported by the implants. However, in recent years, this process has been accelerated and in select cases, eliminated all together. Currently, the average time varies between two and four months. |
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| How painful is the dental implant process?
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| Since the patient is under local anesthesia during the operation, the initial placement is relatively free of discomfort. After the anesthesia wears off, the level of discomfort is quite different for each patient but most do not result in significant problems. Pain, swelling and bruising may develop and last for several days. If there is a prolonged sense of pain, you should return to your dentist right away. Prolonged pain can mean that the placement of your implant has failed but in any event, the cause should be determined as soon as possible. If an implant appears not to be properly integrating into the bone or signs of infection develop, the implant might need to be removed. |
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What happens if my implant is rejected? |
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| On occasion, dental implants fail or as some say, they are rejected. In a large number of cases, they can be replaced with another implant, which usually is of a slightly larger size. Please contact us about any matters concerning failure of your implant. |
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Do I have to stop wearing my current prosthesis while my implants are integrating with my jaw bone? |
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| Originally, it was recommended that patients go without wearing their dentures for up to 2 weeks after the implant placement. As the years have progressed, this has changed considerably. In most situations, patients leave the office wearing their teeth the day the implants are placed. Every patient and procedure is different, and occasionally there might be a recommendation that a patient go without their prosthesis for a short time. |
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| How much do implants cost? |
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| In some situations today, we still pay for these services according to the number of implants used. Dentistry, however, has realized that the number of implants used for a given restoration is most important in terms of the success of the restoration, not the overall fee and we have begun to start charging patients according to the complexity of the overall procedure. It is certainly much more cost effective when the same dentist both places and restores a patient’s dentition, but this is not always possible. In the future, as dental implants are incorporated into the scope of general practice, implants will not only be more widespread in their use, but much more cost effective for the patients. Please contact us to set up a consultation, we will be able to give you an accurate price once we have assessed your individual situation.
AFD typically charges $999 per implant. |
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Should I choose a bridge or an implant?
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| This is one of the questions we hear the most, whether or not to use a fixed ("permanent") bridge or a dental implant to replace one or two missing teeth. Suppose you are missing your lower left first molar. If a fixed bridge were used, your dentist would cut down the adjacent teeth (your second molar and second bicuspid) and fit a three unit bridge cemented over those two teeth. The missing tooth would be effectively replaced by the three unit bridge. If your dentist were to use an implant with a crown on it, he would place an implant in the site of the original first molar. He could do this immediately or at some date after the first molar was removed. There is no time limit here. The implant will take about 3 months to connect with the bone and then at that time, your dentist can construct a single crown on the implant to replace the missing first molar. The cost of each one of these procedures varies from office to office, but a three unit fixed bridge costs about the same as an implant and a crown. The actual decision to do one over the other rests with you and your dentist. One technique is not inherently better than the other and each depends upon how you present and your dentists skills. All things being equal, I would usually prefer to place the implant and crown over the bridge. |
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Where are your offices located?
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| Please visit the Locations to
find information specific to our locations such as directions,
phone number, hours, etc.
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How can I contact your office?
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| Please click here to visit our E-mail page. The page also contains information on contacting us by mail or phone.
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